The OTHER Lestrange
by Smexy.Vampire
Summary: Parker Cullen, a normal girl living in Britain, happens to stumble across a Portkey. She appears at Bill's and Fleurs wedding. She has no idea what is going on but she must her memory modified. But why didn't it work?
1. Portkey

Rain. It's a world of wonders. It's confusing, beautiful, useful, and hated all at once. But to me, it's so much more. It reminds me of the day that changed my life forever. It was that day that I found who I was, and could be. Now if you don't mind, I think it's trivial for me to explain.

23 July 2006, I was working my very pitiful job of keeping England "clean and beautiful." Like England wasn't beautiful enough. It was raining and the streets were covered with garbage. Beer cans and cigarette buds littered the area. And I had to pick them up, for not anywhere near enough money.

I walked humming to myself and picking up the trash people couldn't depose of themselves. Amidst the cans and buds laid a pair of worn out converse. I looked down at my sandals and quickly put the shoes on.

But what happened next, I would, could have never guessed. It felt like a hook just behind my navel was forced forward. My feet lifted off the ground; I was spinning in a whirl of wind and color. Then I suddenly fell on butt.

I had no idea what had just happened, all I new was my boss was goanna be pissed. I felt something smussy under me; I turned to see that I was sitting on a white cake. I looked outwards and saw tons of people, ever single one of them looking at me, glaring. I blushed and hid under the table.

I crept under, hoping no one would look. I kept on crawling until I ran into someone. I looked up, banging my head on the table that rose a few feet in the air. Standing above me was a boy of seventeen or eighteen, with jet black hair almost covering his eyes. His eyes were the best part of his face they were deep yet bright green. His lips were turned into a confused frown.

I stood up and dusted the dirt off my six month old jeans. I tried to smile, but one look at the guy's face made me frown.

"Do you mind? We're having a wedding here. Who are you?" he spat at me (literally).

"I'm… my name is…" _What is my name? _It took me a while to recall. "Parker, Parker Cullen."

"Well parker, what are you doing here?" he yelled a little louder than before.

"I—I don't know. One moment I was making Britain 'clean and beautiful,' next I was on a cake. I have no idea what happened," I stuttered whispering.

"Okay, we'll sort this out, but first we need to finish the wedding."

I nodded and sat down in the back row. It was beautiful, by the end many were crying. I smiled knowing I didn't completely ruin their special day.

Once it was all over the boy and two other people came over. One had insane red hair that I really wanted to mess up. The other had frizzy, brown, curly, hair, but other than that she was rather pretty.

"Ron, Hermione, we need to take her to Mr. Weasly," he told the others and then grabbed my arm. If I wasn't so nervous I might have noticed what the tingle in my arm really meant.

We stopped in front of a man in his late forty's. He had red hair just like, who I guessed to be, Ron. He smiled and me and told me to take a seat. "My name Arthur Weasly, and who might you be? And why did you appear in the middle of my sons wedding?"

My stomach sunk; I felt so bad, I should be cleaning England right now, not ruining weddings. "My name is Parker Cullen. I didn't _mean _to appear, it just sorta happened…"

"Go on," Mr. Weasly encouraged.

I told him the events of my night. It didn't take to much time, seeing as my life is so boring. Mr. Weasly seemed to be in deep thought when I finished. Then he finally spoke, his voice calm yet powerful, "Harry, I need you to alert Mr. Effacing, the head of the Muggle Affairs department. Tell him when have someone who needs their memory modified now."

The boy with the black hair nodded and with a pop he was gone. Everyone was silent, except Mr. Weasly who had people come over and wish him congratulations. He would normally just nod, but sometimes he would say something. Then after what seemed like forever Harry reappeared with someone I guessed to be Mr. Effacing.

"Hello Parker, my name is Mr. Effacing and I'm here to modify your memory. It won't hurt a bit, I promise," he told me, helping me off the ground.

He took me over to a table, away from everyone else. He took out a piece of wood from his pocket and pointed it at my head. He mumbled something in a different language. Then I felt my head start to jumble up and everything seemed to change. I no longer knew who this man was, or why I was here. Mr. Effacing smiled and grabbed my arm. His smile slowly turned into a frown.

I wasn't sure what was wrong with Mr. Effacing, that was his name. He wouldn't stop looking at my arm, with a surprised look on his face. I looked and saw that he was looking at my birthmark. Its appearance is that of a skull with a snake coming out of the mouth in place of the tongue. He let go of my arm, and as he did I finally remembered everything. But wasn't Mr. Effacing supposed to modify my memory? Why hadn't it worked?

"Miss Cullen, would you please come with me?" he asked me. I followed him back over to Mr. Weasly, Ron, Hermione and Harry. They were having a worry free time. Mr. Effacing left me and went to whisper things to Mr. Weasly. Mr. Weasly's smile turned to a frown, he didn't seem happy at all anymore.

Then after even more moments of silence, Mr. Weasly spoke, "Parker, were you adopted?"

I was surprised by the question. Yes I was, but what did that have to be with anything? I nodded. Mr. Weasly didn't seem surprised by this and just kept nodding and saying yes. "Miss, did your parents ever tell you who your really parents were?"

"Not by name. All I know is that they were sent to prison right after I was born."

"Ok… well I think I know who your parents were."

I was confused. How could he know my parents? I didn't even know who they were but some random guy did? "Ok." I couldn't think of much more to say.

"Do you know what your parents' last name was?"

"Yes, it's Lestrange."


	2. Me A Witch!

"Lestrange, did you say?" Harry chimed in.

"Yeah, I do believe that is what I said," I told him a little annoyed.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all looked down; it was as if they had grown mad and uncomfortable. I wasn't sure why, maybe it was what I said, but why did that matter? Then Mr. Weasly asked, "Harry, Hermione, Ron, would you all mind leaving?"

They all nodded and left looking relieved. Once they were out of ear shot Mr. Effacing said, "Arthur, she needs to understand. Scrimgeour would be better for the job, though. Maybe he even had a pensive. I'll go inform him."

Arthur smiled and with a pop Mr. Effacing was gone. "Mr. Weasly, would you mind explaining what the heck is going on," I asked a little annoyed that no on had informed me yet.

Mr. Weasly took a deep breath and then began. "Scrimgeour will go into more detail when you go, but I will begin. Everyone here is a witch or wizard, including you."

"What? I cannot be a witch! My dad's a banker and my mum's a teacher," I informed him matter-of-fact-ly.

"Yes, but what about your birth parents? I'm sorry to say that they were, are—"

POP! Mr. Effacing was back. "Parker, I need you to come with me," he told me.

"Mhmm," I said and stood up. He took my arm and then everything went black. I felt my body being pressed very hard from all angles. I couldn't breath; it was like wearing a shirt ten sizes too small. My eyes were forced back into their sockets; my ear drums kept getting closer and closer to my skull.

Then I could suddenly breathe again. I was in a pretty big room; the room was filled with gadgets and books. I went to the shelf and read some of the titles; they were _A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions… The Dark Arts Outsmarted… Self-Defensive Spell Work. _

"Miss Lestrange, my you look defiantly different. It has been sixteen years since the last time that I've seen you," said someone from behind me, whose voice for some reason, really freaked me out.

I turned around to see a man in his fifties? You could even compare him to an old lion if you wanted. I felt as if I had suddenly lost my voice for some reason. Then I went into a coughing attack, stupid allergies. I was better in a few minutes, though and I said, "I don't wish to be rude, but do you think it's possible for you to call me by my proper name, Cullen?"

He seemed a little taken back by my question, but he nodded. "Well, Miss Culled as you may or may not know you're a witch." He paused waiting to see it I'd say anything. But when I didn't he continued onward. "Your parents were what we call Death Eaters, they were horrible people. They were sent to prison about a year after you were born.

"We took you and gave you to a Muggle, non magical, family. They took you in lovingly. We gave them the option of either letting you grow up as a Muggle or when you were eleven to be sent to school."

He stopped for a moment. "And now I'll give you that choice. You can go back to living as a Muggle or you can live here as a witch."

My head was spinning. My heart was yelling for me to stay, but my head bas begging me to go home. It was hard to tell what was louder and more important. But then a thought occurred to me, _what if he wasn't telling the truth. How do I truly know?_

"Sir, I don't what to sound rude, but how do I know you're telling the truth?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

He said nothing just pulled a stick of wood out of his pocket. He pointed it at a cabinet across the room. It burst into flames. Yet he didn't seem worried at all. Then he removed his wand and the flames disappeared leaving the cabinet cleaner and shiner than before.

I had never seen anything so amazing yet confusing before. But now my head was spinning even more; my heart throbbing and beating at an insane pace. I had seriously no idea what to tell Mr. Whatever-his-name-is, who not to mention was looking annoyed and inpatient. But there was no way I could answer him now.

"OK, I think I know what I would like to do, for now that is. I'm wondering if I could have a 'trial run.' Would it be OK for the summer if I lived as a witch then, then I could decide?" I asked him.

He thought over everything, wondering if it was really a good idea. "I don't think that theirs anything wrong with that. I would advise you not to tell anyone about your heritage, especially Harry Potter. And—"

"But Harry already knows…" I cut in.

"Oh Lord, that's not a good thing. But yes back on subject, you're gonna need a tutor, McGonagall will help with that. But as for now I think it would be best if you stayed with Mr. Weasly."

I smiled; Mr. Weasly was really nice and understanding. I just hope that the rest of the family is the same. "But wait, what about my family?" I asked Mr. Whatsit, who was now writing a letter.

"Why yes, I'll need to inform them of your summer stay," he replied tying the letter to an owl. "I'll Apparate you back to the wedding and I'll talk to Mr. Weasly there."

He walked towards me and took my hand, which made me really uncomfortable. Then I felt the familiar sensation of being compressed again. But then once again I was able to breathe the sweet fresh air. We were back at the wedding, but it wasn't as crowded as some must have gone home.

Mr. Scrimgeour? was talking to Mr. Weasly, leaving me alone to explore. I walked around the open area. I saw Ron, Hermione, and Harry talking over yonder. I decided to join them. I skipped merrily over their, slowly gaining courage to say sorry. But then my thoughts were broken by an insane yelling bonanza.

"I can not believe McGonagall and Scrimgeour are making me teach her magic! But I couldn't possibly say no, they're letting me graduate without having to go to my seventh year, not that I would be anyways," Hermione kept on yelling. "But how am I supposed to teach her anything? She'll probably want to learn a bunch of dark magic that I can't and won't teach her.

"She disgusts me! And she has to stay with us over the summer but she is NOT—"


	3. Diagon Ally

I'll never figure out what I was not. I was what felt like miles away by the time she stopped yelling. I didn't notice that I was crying, but I suddenly felt better. I knew that I had a tuff summer ahead of me, but I think I'll be able to handle it.

The sun had completely gone down, but I still had no plan of going back. I felt that if they were truly committed to having me stay there, they'll come and look for me. But then night was dropping fast and I had no time to waste if I wanted to… never mind. I'm not sure what I want anymore.

My eyes couldn't stay open, they fought against how tried I was, but in the end they lost. I laid down and closed my eyes. I had nothing else to do but wait, so I might as well sleep as I wait. It was cold but I didn't mind, much. I blinked 182 more times then they stayed shut.

x/X\x

I woke up and was surprised to feel blankets on me and a bed beneath me. I suddenly felt bad for not going and finding then and making them look for me. Tears, they were so evil; they sting my eyes and I feel even worse then before.

But that wasn't what mattered right now, what did was the emptiness my stomach felt. I didn't want to barge down for food, but I was starving. I looked around the room, I wasn't alone. A girl with beautiful red hair, slender body, and a great smile, was smiling at me.

"Hello," I said yawning.

"Oi, hello, my name is Ginny. You're Parker, right?" she asked pulling clothes out of her dresser.

"Yeah." I didn't know what else to say. There was an awkward silence with only the sound of her changing and my yawning. I slowly moved out of bed and fell on the floor. I was so clumsy at times. Ginny was laughing, but trying to hide it. I was laughing too, it was funny.

"Are you hungry?" Ginny asked once we finished laughing.

"Yes!" I said smiling and jumping and falling out of bed, again. I looked at Ginny, she seemed so happy and free, and I envied her so much. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be her friend, I didn't need another enemy.

There were already eight people at the table and two empty spots. Everyone was eating and laughing Ginny and I sat down next to each other, me next to someone I didn't know and Ginny nest Harry, who immediately put his arm around her. I know it shouldn't, but that made me even more envious of her.

Then Mr. Weasly said, "Everyone this is Parker Cullen, our little wedding crasher—"

"I love that movie!" I heard myself yell, then say, "Do you remember the scene where…" I cut off, my cheeks grew extremely red. Everyone laughed and I felt even stupider.

"She will be staying with us this summer; I hope you all make her enjoy it." Everyone smiled, most looked fake, but they were smiling. Well, actually not everyone was smiling; Hermione was glairing with all her power and Harry wasn't showing any emotion.

Then everyone continued to eat. It was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. Everything tasted magical, which it probably was. Then when we were done the plates and cups and other dinnerware flew into the sink and started to be cleaned. It was such an amazing feat that I couldn't help but just stare in awe.

Everyone had already gotten up, but I just kept staring at the sink, I was such a dork. Then I heard Ginny call me for what she informed me, was the tenth time. I got and followed her back up to her room. Once we got back I went straight to the bed. I needed more sleep then everyone in this house combined.

But then Ginny decided to ruin my fun by saying, "You can't sleep, you have to go to Diagon Ally and get supplies. You'd better get ready now, we're leaving soon."

I mumbled but got up. Then I thought about the fact that I didn't have any clothing. "Ginny, what am I suppose to wear? I don't really have anything in this, what I like to call, dimension."

"Oh you can wear something of mine," she told me, going through her dresser once again.

"I don't think they'll fit…" I mumbled looking at my not as slender body. I had never liked the way I looked. My medium length light brown hair with its natural wave, would never straighten. My face wasn't bad, it was just plain. The only thing I ever liked was my deep brown eyes, they were dark one day, and then green and brown, more tie-dye then anything, the next.

"Nonsense, you're not much bigger than me, and if we need to mum can fix them for you." She threw me a pair of jeans, a button up shirt and a robe. I didn't really want to ware this; I normally tried to stand out with what I wore. I still had my doubts, but they fit, a tad snug, but they fit. I put my hair in a pony-tail with most of my hair hanging out from random points.

Once both of us were ready we went back down stairs to get our sack lunches and go. They were Apparating and I was going with Hermione and Ginny with Ron. Mr. Weasly was going to work and Mrs. Weasly was to busy to come, so Charlie was coming with us. Charlie as I learned worked with Dragons in Romania. He seemed rather nice and I looked like he would be a lot of fun to hang out with.

Diagon Ally was wonderful, I don't know how else to put it. There were shops everywhere and it made me feel like I was at a mall in America. It would have been a great experience if I didn't have to deal with Hermione's glairs and Harry's death looks. But at least Ginny was being nice, and Ron and Charlie went really showing any emotion.

I almost tripped… 454247563435 times. I was the very definition of cults, I bet, no, I swear that if you looked it up in the dictionary it would say: see Cullen, Parker. We had many wonderful places to go including Flourish and Blotts and Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and some other places. We had gotten everything we needed except my wand.

The shop we went to was small and narrow. It had pealing gold letters that read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. But the walls were boarded up and Charlie said, "They're still closed now are they? I guess we'll have to go somewhere else then. Pity though that you didn't get an Ollivanders wand."

We went to another shop, but this time it was a lot bigger and prettier. I wondered why we just didn't come here in the first place. I went in, but everyone else stayed outside. I saw no one but rows of shelves filled with small rectangular boxes. After a few moments of waiting a man showed up, he seemed extremely old and kinda creped me out.

Then he said in a small voice, "Good afternoon. I thank you for coming here for a wand. We don't get much business. And you might be Parker Cullen, right?" I was lost for words, he creped me out, but I knew I needed to reply.

"Yes," I said my voice cracking.

"Well, what is your wand arm?" she asked me.

"I'm left handed if that's what you mean," I told him, my voice a little stronger than before.

"Not many people with left hands… you will difficult to place. You're parents were hard to place, too. They were a few of the people that bought wands here; most think that we sell dark wands, because a lot of dark wizards bought wands here. But they were great wizards, they went down the wrong path, but it's not the wand that matters, it's the person controlling the wand. But back to your parents, they were great wizards. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was a great wizard, too."

It was official; he was the scariest person I have ever met. I had no breath when he finished, I'm not sure why, but his speech scared me. Then he went and grabbed a box from the shelf. He gave me the wand and said, "Ten inches, Redwood and phoenix feather core, nice and flexible." I didn't know what to do. She stared at me, thinking I knew what to do. "Well, give it a wave."

I listened and waved it. Outside everyone was dancing, and with another wave they stopped. It amazing what I could do, I was no longer a worthless trash picker-up-er. Oh what my friends would think of me now. I suddenly felt home-sick. I missed my family and my two or so great friends. But now was not the time to cry or whimper; I needed to be strong.

"That'll be nine sickles," he said holding out her hand. I gave him the money, happy to be out of that store. Everyone looked happy that I was done, and that they weren't dancing against their will anymore. We went to Quality Quidditch Supplies, on Harry's demand. He needed to take better care of his firejolt, of whatever it was called.

Then we went down to Fred and George's shop, Weasly Wizard Wheezes. We went in and it was enormous and remarkable. They had gadgets to fill anyone's wildest dreams. George agreed to give me a tour. They had tons of different magical pranks, if had any money to spare it would have been gone within minutes. I couldn't stop staring in awe at even the most simple of things, that made George laugh, his laugh was fun and inviting, it made you feel at home, even in a different dimension.

Everyone left with their money bags a lot emptier, but with their pockets bulging with different prank items. All apart form me, for I had no money to spare. I needed it all for school, I wasn't able to get into my vault without tons of unwanted questions, and Bill couldn't get the money for me, yet. I had to borrow money from the Weaslys, and would pay them back when Bill could get into my vault.

We strolled around, no one, apart form me, wanted to go back home. Charlie wanted to spend his last day getting more "dragon supplies." Harry, Ron, and Hermione wanted to explore before they had to go do "important things after the summer." And Ginny wanted to catch up with some friends. We would all meet up at 6:00 and go home. I of course going with Ginny, no one else wanted me.

I met a few interesting people including Luna Lovegood, Kirsten Conley, Lavender Brown, and people I might never see again. They all tried to be nice to me, but it didn't last long. They went and got ice cream first, and then they all wanted to go down Knockturn Ally, but said I didn't have enough experience. And none of my pleading seemed to stop them, "But Ginny, what am I supposed to do?"

"We're meting in a half hour, just find your way back, you know the way, right? And say I had to go the bathroom," she told me, while being dragged by her friends.

But I didn't know how to get back; I was wandering for God knows how long. Everything looked the same, yet so different. Then after what I will always think as eternity, I found my way to Weasly Wizard Wheezes, our meting point. I was surprising the first one there, but slowly Charlie, Harry, Hermione, and Ron showed up.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked talking to me for the first time all day.

"She went to powder her nose," I told him.

"Eh?"

"Bathroom," I said shaking my head. After a few more minutes of waiting she showed up. Then we went back home. I was hoping to get a little learning in before I went to bed, but Hermione said she was too tried but promised tomorrow. I highly doubted that she would keep her word 100, but what choice did I have but to listen. I was too afraid that I would blow something up working on my own, the cults that I am.

Dinner was even better than breakfast; I ate thirds, making the pants a tad snugger. Then after we all went to bed, I should have fell asleep moments after I laid down, considering how tired I was, if it wasn't for the fact that I was so excited to learn any type of magic tomorrow.


	4. Enchanted Sleep

What happened the next morning I should have expected, it was after another great breakfast, and Hermione was going to start to teach me. But before we did, she had to lay down some ground rules. "OK Parker, if I'm going to be teaching you, you have to do what I say and not ask to learn and thing … special. I will be teaching you things that first years would be learning, today. Are we clear on this?" Hermione told me in an extremely strict voice.

"Yeah," I said in a very annoyed voice. I hated Hermione with a passion, but only because she loathed me with all her might. She gave me my wand and she pulled out hers. She pulled out tons of books that all looked extremely dull and tedious.

"Now, first you will be learning the levitating charm. With your wand I want you to swish and flick," she told me as if I was a little child. I took my wand and "swished and flicked" it wasn't that hard. "Ok now good," she continued. "The spell is _Wingardium Leviosa. _I now want you to do that swish and flick movement and say _Wingardium Leviosa." _

I took my wand and swish and flicked while muttering the spell. The book I was pointing at moved up a little but not much. I tried again, and this time was successful. The rest of the day went like this, Hermione told me what to do, and I would follow. It wasn't that exciting. She was starting to get on my nerves with how bossy she was.

x/X\x

"Hermione?" I asked.

"Yes?" she asked with her annoying know-it-all voice.

"Do you think that I will be caught up with you by the time school starts?" I asked. I had been so scared that I wouldn't be good enough by then and then wouldn't be able to go. It seemed as if I was moving at an extremely slow pace.

"Well, it's been a week and you've mastered your first and second year. If you keep going at this rate, you will. But keep in mind that the material will just get harder," she said with a stern look.

I nodded; Hermione hadn't been any nicer than she had since I overheard her yelling about me. I've wanted to talk to her about it, but truthfully I'd rather jump of a cliff then tell her I heard their vile conversation about me.

Ron on the other hand was rather nice to me. He normally didn't say anything when Hermione and Harry were around, but when they left we had a lot of fun. He was really cool, idiotic, but cool.

Harry was of course, being as mean as humanly possible. Though, he tried to hid it in front of Mr. and Mrs. Weasly, he hated me with all the power he could muster. Whenever I said something to him he wouldn't reply just glair unless Mr. or Mrs. Weasley were around.

Ginny was her nice usual self. She wasn't the nicest person ever, but was probably the nicest out of all of them. I still remember when she left me in Diagon Ally; I haven't completely forgiven her for it. But it was hard to hate her, when she was nice to me.

Mr. Weasly was normally at work, but whenever he was here he was as kind as the first day I met him. His wife on the other hand wasn't the greatest. She tried to be nice, but she couldn't always hold her anger in. She once yelled at me because I was late for breakfast.

But even with all that, I still couldn't not love being a witch and living there. Everyday was an adventure, learning new spells and potions. I had almost no time to sleep; I was either practicing or thinking about what I would be learning tomorrow.

x/X\x

I was now officially a fourth year. I had four days to learn all the potions and spells and history. It was almost _too_ overwhelming. I had wanted so bad to be the best witch ever, but it was getting harder and harder everyday. The end of my life was coming upon me; I hadn't slept in six days and was almost dead.

"Hermione … I need to sleep if I wish to learn anything…." I said between yawns.

"Well, the schedule doesn't have and room for sleep. You said you wanted to be caught up. If you truly do, you need to make sacrifices," she told me, almost laughing at my weariness.

"But Hermione… I can't learn anything if my brain isn't working. I need sleep so I can function," I said this and suddenly fell asleep.

My dream was unusual like always, but maybe even more since I haven't had a dream since forever. Hermione was spoon feeding a little cripple boy with the same gleaming eyes as Harry. Ron ran up and slapped Hermione and went to sleep. Mr. Weasly was doing a gig in the corner and I was singing a song to the cripple boy. "_When you need to cry, I'm here for you. When eyes just won't dry, I'll hold you tight. If you need someone to tell you they love you, remember that I was always there for you." _

The cripple then suddenly turned into Harry. He took me in his arms and … "Wake up!"

Hermione had finally woken me up. I mustn't have been asleep very long. "How long was I out?"

"About twenty minutes," she said. "Well, as you were out, I figured out a way that you can sleep and still excel as a student."

I was happy, sleep was good. I couldn't wait to here her plan, but once she said it I was a little doubtful. "You will learn how to put your self into an enchanted sleep. That way you can postpone the moment, you will be able to sleep and then wake up at the same moment you went to sleep.

"This is a very difficult potion, but if you are able to successfully make the potion, the other potions and probably spells won't be any problem for you."

"Couldn't you just make it for me?" I asked slowly not wanting to be yelled at.

"Well no, I don't know how to yet, and this way you will be an even greater witch," she said that then mumbled something, that I knew was something mean against me.

"Let's start then!" I was so happy to do this spell that I was hanging off ever word Hermione said. She was going through ever book she had that even mention the spell. She finally found it in _Advanced Potions for the Advanced Learner._ She looked over it and kept shaking her head.

"Are you OK?" I said breaking the silence.

"OK, yeah I'm OK. It's just that is potion is past N.E.W.T. and I don't even know if I will be able to make it…." Her voice was shaking, if I didn't hate her so much I would have gone up and hugged her. She seemed on the verge of tears, she must be lacking sleep too.

"Hermione let me have a look at it." I said. She threw the book at me; it hit me hard in the head. I opened it up to the potion. It had many requirements and ingredients needed. It looked like it could be made in one week if you had everything and were an expert at potion making. But if you made in wrong, you will never wake up, but will always sleep.

It seemed weird and random, as if the ingredients were just thrown into a pot. But I had to try it, Hermione, though I hated her, had to try it with me. "Hermione we have to do this together. We can do this, it can't be _that_ hard."

Hermione looked as if I was just thrown out of a mental institution. "Are you crazy! We can't do that? You're what a fourth year now, and look Snape made this potion it must be hard then."

"So you're just gonna give up then? Not even gonna try? Well, I am ashamed!" I took the book leaving sleep deprived Hermione behind. I went up to my room and tried to figure it out. I tried looking all over the house for any of the ingredients, but with no luck. Hermione was taking a well needed nap and I forced to go ask someone else for help.

I first went to Mrs. Weasly, seeing as it was her house. But she said we would need to buy the ingredients, but I didn't have time for that. Then I went to Ron. He was, of course, hanging out with Harry in the back.

"Ron, do you think you could help me?" I asked running with the book over to him.

"Sure, what is it?" he said happily, causing him to get a weird look from Harry. I showed Ron the book, he looked even more confused then I did.

"Do you know if we have any of the ingredients?" I asked.

He shook his head and handed the book to Harry for him to look over. He didn't seem as confused as Ron but still didn't seem to like the potion. He looked up, glaring at my smiling face. "I have the ingredients, that is, if Hermione wants to come up and get them."

Man, did I want to slap him! But instead I just nodded and walked away, putting my head down. I went to Hermione and tried to awaken her, but with almost no prevail. She would wake up and think see was late to her wedding day. It was funny, but I really didn't have time for it now.

"Hermione! Wake up this instance!" I yelled for the seventy-fifth time.

"The flowers are beautiful mommy…" she mumbled. Then her eyes popped open and she yelled at me for not waking her up.

"Hermione," I said in the nicest voice I had. "Harry has the ingredients that we need."

"Great let's get started then," she said in a sarcastic voice. It was the first time Hermione wasn't excited to work.

x/X\x

The potion hadn't let me get more sleep; it took away from the little I had. But now Hermione was hooked on getting this potion that we almost didn't even eat. We worked day and night non-stop. We had to go get more ingredients five times, you see, we had to start over ever time we made one little mistake. But by the end of my third week there we had it perfect.

Hermione and I were so excited to try it out. I was so tired that I couldn't stop jumping around. I'm not sure if it was the fact that we were tired or if we true, but me and Hermione had become friends. Spending 24/7 2 weeks in a row with someone, I guess, brings you closer together. Maybe Harry and I need to learn some complicated potion.

We tested the potion on a bird she transfigured from a cup. The bird woke up an hour later, just like it should. The potion was so powerful you only needed a drop per hour. Hermione and I took twenty-four. We put it in cups and chugged the clear purple liquid. It tasted like a mixture of beer and blood, which both weren't in the potion.

It took a few moments for the potion to take effect. I couldn't stand still anymore. I swayed and soon was on the floor in a laughing attack. Not soon after I was asleep.

x/X\x

I woke up refreshed, but I didn't remember ever sleeping. I know I took the potion and fell to the ground. But it felt like I just fell two seconds ago. Maybe it didn't work… but it had to of… hmm… maybe Hermione would know.

But Hermione was still sleeping the night away. I shook her and she woke up moments after. "Hmm?" she asked, her eyes drooping again.

"It's time to wake up," I told her helping her off the ground. "We need to keep working so I catch up with the rest of you."

"Well, I think you're good enough in potions. It's your transfiguration and you're charms that need to be worked on more." Hermione stopped, but it looked like she wanted to say more.

"Hermione?" I asked.

"I'm sorry … I never should have been so mean to you without knowing you. But you've got to understand that it was really hard not to, with your background and all. Your parents killed lots of innocent people, they tortured people into insanity. And now that they're no longer in prison—"

"What! They're out of prison! Will you go get Scrimgeour for me?"

"Why, can't it wait?"

"No, I need to tell him I'm not going to Hogwarts!"

"What? Why not?"

"I'm gonna kill my parents!"


	5. Stuck With Harry

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped and with a pop was gone. I started to pace up and down thinking about what I had just said. Did I really want to kill my parents? Did I truly not want to go to Hogwarts? Was I ever sure that I wasn't still sleeping?

I tried slapping myself to see if I would wake up, but I didn't. I started to take deeper and deeper breaths and soon it was almost as if I wasn't breathing. Hermione had been gone for five minuets … ten … twenty. Then I heard another pop.

Hermione had come back but Scrimgeour wasn't with her. She was breathing less than I was, though I had no idea why. Once she caught her breath she said, "I can't find him. He's no one that I could think of. We could send an owl, Hedwig would find him."

"No, don't bother. But Hermione would you do me a favor," I asked. She nodded and I continued. "Would you not tell anyone and, I know this is two, but would you also help me learn more … advance magic?" I had just asked her what she knew all along I would. She obviously didn't think I would be like this, but she did think it would happen.

"I won't tell anyone but … what do you mean by "advance magic?" she asked looking away, though I wasn't sure why.

"I just want to learn something so I can, you know …" I didn't feel like saying kill my parents again. It didn't seem like it would be a good thing to say out loud in this house again. I was almost sure the walls had ears.

Hermione looked like she understood and nodded, a little weakly. I looked at her and smiled, this was one of the 100 true smiles I had ever given in my life. I would only truly smile at my "mom" and this makes the second other time. The first was the other day when Harry had tripped and landed on me. I couldn't help but smile it was huge and bright and real.

It seemed, to me at least, that here in the wizarding world, the worst your life becomes, the more simple things mean. That might be the same in the normal world, but not for me. I had to work non-stop and that made me mad, not appreciative.

Hermione was no longer in the room. I wanted desperately to go look for her, but didn't want to intrude. I just wanted to sit and think even more. I went up to my room, but on the way over overheard my second conversation.

"She wants to kill her parents, Harry. That doesn't seem to me like she's a Death Eater. Why can't you just give her a chance? Is it that hard? She's not her parents, you know?" I girls voice rang though my ears. It sounded like Hermione but she told me she wouldn't tell…. But I guess I can't even trust perfect Hermione.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'like mother like daughter'?" a man asked, who I was sure was Harry.

"Well you know her mother was a teacher. She only knew Bellatrix for a year when she was a baby, she is not her mother. She is just someone who helped in the creation," Hermione persisted. I was mad that she told Harry, but was even happier that she was sticking up for me.

"Well, I don't care Hermione! She cannot come with us. I don't care if you and her are the best of friends, I don't want her near me."

I just realized I was crying. I wasn't certain that I just started just that I hadn't noticed. I sat down in front of the door, my head resting on my knees. Then the door opened and I was flung backward, but someone caught me. It was Harry, but this time no one smiled when someone fell.

I got up and fast and slow as possible. I didn't want to move but at the same time I wanted to as far from Harry as possible. I dusted myself off the same way I did when I met him. We glanced at each other but then I quickly looked away. Hermione seemed to have noticed that I was crying and handed me a handkerchief. I wiped my eyes and started to walk out the door. But I couldn't.

Harry couldn't leave either. Hermione was standing outside smiling evilly. I didn't know what she did, but I frankly didn't care. I just wanted to get out of here. "Hermione what's going on?" Harry and I asked at the same time.

"You both are trapped in here until you get along." She didn't offer any more of an explanation and she was gone. I've always wanted to talk to Harry, for him to be nice and great me with "open arms." But right now I would rather choke on a bottle of vodka, which I know isn't possible.

Harry made no acknowledgement that I was stuck in the room with him. He just paced up and down acting as if he was alone and had a math test to take. The door was open and I saw Hermione walk by. "Hermione," I yelled. She turned back around and stood facing me in the doorway. "How am I supposed to learn if I'm stuck here with … Harry?"

"I gave that some thought," she said then turned to Harry who was now standing next to me. "You are to teach her. All that she needs to learn now you would be better at teaching. The sooner she's completed her training the sooner you're out. And here's some of the enchanted sleep potion, I don't want to see you sleeping."

"But Hermione?" Harry and I said in protest but she just put the books and potion vials down and left. Harry went back to his pacing and I decided to at least look at the books. They were the same ones that I saw in Scrimgeour's office. _A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions … The Dark Arts Outsmarted … Self-Defensive Spell Work. _It seemed like I had gotten my wish, but now that I had it I was having lots of second thoughts.

I suddenly felt Harry sit down next to me. He was closer to me than I had even imagined in my daydreams. He was leaning on me looking at the book. If had been anyone else, I would have thought he was using the book as a reason for being close to me. I knew Harry hated me and that he would never have been next to me if wasn't for Hermione, but I couldn't help but pretend that he wanted to be with me.

He was only next to me for about a minute. Then he got up. He had a disgusted look on his face, as I was something he wanted to throw in the trash. But then I he did something I would have never guess in my whole entire life, even now looking back on it, that he would have done. He extended a hand and helped me up. Sure it wasn't I big deal but it was … nice.

He didn't say anything for a while; he kept opening his mouth but never said anything. Then he said, "Let's just put aside our differences and work with what we have in front of us. I will teach you but you better treat me with … respect."

I didn't know what to say. Was I supposed to agree? Truthfully it was only him who had difference. I didn't mind Harry, sure I didn't like it just being him and me, but even though he was extremely mean to me, I had nothing against him.

Harry then suddenly broke the silence. "Let's begin …"

x/X\x

It had been two days. We had progressed magically but not friendly. He wasn't the worst had he ever been, but the respect that I showed him wasn't shown back. Hermione gave us food three times a day and the rest we just had to deal with just each other. It wasn't the best two days ever.

By the end of the third day I was so sure that we were never going to be able to leave. Hermione would never answer our questions about it; she would just smile and walk away. The only thing is we've been doing everything she asked for. Harry was teaching we were being reasonably nice to each other. I was starting to think that we had to be a perfect little family if we wanted to leave. I even told Harry this, but he disagreed.

"Why would we have to be a happy family? It's not like you're secretly in love with me," Harry told me. I laughed at this nervously, but Harry took no notice. I had no idea if he truly thought that I didn't like him at all. I wasn't really sure how I felt about him. At times I wanted to push him off a building but then I would go and catch him before he hit the ground.

x/X\x

Harry said that I'd learned everything that I needed to. Hermione seemed satisfied by this, but not ecstatic. I guessed that she thought that we would be closer by the end of this period, but she was wrong. Harry's hatred for my parents built a barrier in front of his heart.

It felt so nice to see the rest of the house. Everyone was nicer, I'm guessing because I was stuck with someone who hated me for a week non-stop. Harry put more of an effort into being nice to be, just so we wouldn't have to be stuck together again. He was almost as nice to me as he was Ginny, and that made her a smidge mad.

It was dinner time and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went out. It was just Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and me. Harry was complementing me on my "brilliant Jelly Jinx." Hermione smiled at me as I said thank you. The mood of the dinner suddenly turned upside down. Ginny burst out in tears.

"What's wrong?" everyone asked looking concerned. I wasn't sure if she even heard us over her sobs. Harry wrapped her arm around her to try and comfort her. Ginny looked uncomfortable but didn't remove his arm.

She stopped crying and whispered, "Harry, if you liked Parker then why are you still going out with me?"

I couldn't help but laugh. It was the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Everyone looked at me and I stopped abruptly. "I don't like Parker! How could I ever like a Lestrange?"

Harry had said too much and he knew it. Ginny didn't know of my parents until now. She looked up and said, "What, she Parker Cullen, not Parker Lestrange. You don't have to lie to me, Harry." Then she looked at me as if to that I was just as confused as her.

I looked at Ginny trying to decide what to tell her. Then I opened my mouth and as quiet as possible I said, "Harry's right he could never love a Lestrange, he could never love me." I rushed out of the room not caring how weird it looked. I already knew Harry would never love me, but to hear him say it hurt with so much impact. I lay down on my bed and cried myself to sleep.

I didn't want to move at all the next morning. Ginny was shaking me and telling me, in a ruder voice than normal, its time for breakfast and needed to get up. I ignored her and pulled my blankets up over my head. I slept.

A little later someone was shaking me awake again. But it wasn't Ginny it was Harry. "Parker you need to get up. School starts in two days. I'm sorry I didn't mean to tell Ginny." _He thinks I'm mad at that not that he could never love me._

"But you need to get up," he continued on. "Please just get up." He stoked my hair and got up. The door slammed and I sat up.

_What am I doing? Am I just gonna waste my life here? I need to talk to Scrimgeour and tell him I can't go to school. I have to, I have to, _I thought. I stood up and went to look for Hermione. She was no where to be found. I went to look for Harry and saw him sleeping.

In the whole week that I was with him, I never saw him sleep. We used the enchanted sleep so we were asleep at the same time. He looked different. His glasses were off and I could his green eyes easier. His breath was slow and long. His mouth was curled into a smile as if he was dreaming of something perfect. I learned down and kissed his forehead.

I shook him awake and said, "Harry I'm awake but I need you to do something for me?"

He didn't say anything for the longest time. Then he mumbled something that sounded like what. I wasn't sure what to say. I need to see Scrimgeour and tell him I'm not going to Hogwarts? I need to kill my parents so I have to talk to Scrimgeour?

Then I decided on, "I need to talk to Scrimgeour. Will you please Apparate me there?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute." I was surprised he said yes. It wasn't something that Harry would normally do for me. He searched around for some shoes, put them on, and took my hand.


	6. Scrimgeour and Harry

In a few moments we were in Scrimgeour's office. It felt so familiar yet so cold. I had this dark feeling that this would be the last time I was here. I looked around hoping with all my heart that he was here. But alas, he wasn't.

"Harry, I'm gonna wait. If you want you can go back," I said to Harry who was browsing the bookshelf.

"No, I'll wait," he said opening up a very old looking book.

Harry was a very unpredictable person. I knew that he hated me, but sometimes it seems the complete opposite. It was one of the reason I could never bring myself to hating him, even though I should.

I didn't know what to tell Scrimgeour. All I knew was that going to Hogwarts was the wrong thing to do. I knew that I had something more important set out for me. And though I don't know what it is, what an adventure finding it will be.

"Hey Cullen, come here," Harry said looking up from his book.

I walked over to where he was with hesitation. Harry kept on reading and reading not bothering to explain what it was. He looked so different compared to normal. Before whenever he looked at me he had a look of loathing on his face. Lately, though, his face has been softer and nicer then it was before.

"This was Scrimgeour's journal from when he was head of the Auroa, dark wizard catcher, department," Harry told me. He cleared his throat and said, "_January seventh, I captured Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange today. They put up a great fight, but in the end we were able to over power them. _

_"The only problem is that they have a daughter. She's just a year old and we can't send her to Azkaban with her parents. None of her relatives are either alive or trustworthy enough. We're thinking about a Muggle orphanage or getting someone to adopt her. I don't think that anyone in the wizarding world would want her, considering who her parents are; they would be scared out of their wits. She's sleeping right now at Arthur Weasley's house tonight until we find what to do with her._

_"January eighth, we found a nice Squib family to adopt her. We gave them the choice of sending her to Hogwarts or not. They want to change her name, though. She will officially be Parker Cullen, January twenty-first. I am very fond of her name, though. Evangelist Lestrange, it just sounds so perfect."_

_  
_Harry looked up at me. I tried to avoid eye contact. I was almost crying. My name wasn't even Parker. Sure, that might sound stupid to cry over, but to me it was just so much to take. I was about to go kill the two people who created me. I was about to kill the two people who probably loved me the most, if they even remember me that is. I went back to my other seat and just cried my eyes out. I didn't care anymore if Harry saw.

It was so quiet that I swore Harry had left. I was right. I wasn't sure where he went. Then I heard a pop and Hermione was now sitting next to me. She wrapped her arm around me. I no longer felt like crying. By now it wasn't as big of a deal. It's just that at that moment it hit me like a semi-truck.

A few moments later there was another pop. Harry had returned with Scrimgeour at his side. Scrimgeour didn't look surprised, so I guessed Harry told him we were here. He looked around as if to make sure all of his things were intact.

"Ah yes, Miss Cullen, you had something you needed to tell me." The way Scrimgeour said this made me feel like what I was doing was right. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I felt like he expected it of me all along, and now he was promoting that I did it.

"Yeah," I began. Even if he did know what I needed to say, how was I supposed to tell him? I took in a couple deep breaths before I continued. "I—I was wondering if it was possible for me not to go to Hogwarts."

"Do you want to go back and be a Muggle?" he asked, looking at me intently.

"No!" I almost yelled at him. That was far from what I really wanted to do.

"Then why don't you want to go to Hogwarts?"

"I—I don't think I could handle going to school. Its just I have _other _things on my mind." I laughed at myself. Other things, you know. I'm going to go murder my parents, but nothing big.

"Do these other things have to do with your parents?" he asked.

He knew. He had always known that when I knew the truth I wouldn't sit around. He knew that I wasn't that type of person. _Or _Harry told him, but I doubted Harry would strike up a conversation before they got here.

"Yes," I told him.

Scrimgeour looked over at Harry. He was still reading Scrimgeour's journal. He seemed to be deeply enjoying, I just hoped it didn't say anything else about me.

"Discovered my journal now have you Harry?" Scrimgeour said changing the subject.

Harry looked up and said, "Yeah, it's very interesting. I never knew most of these things. For example I never knew Parker's _original _name was Evangelist." He smiled a wide smile and then continued. "Isn't nice how you knew everything about her, and yet you never told her?"

"Wait, what?" I yelled. "Harry let me see that book." I walked over to Harry and took the journal from him. I read beginning were I left off. It was amazing, he had done so many amazing things, but what I liked most was that he'd been watching me ever since I was adopted. I read on until I reached the end, which took a while seeing as it had seventeen years of information inside.

"Did you ever plan on telling me that," I began trembling a bit. "That you've been watching me? That you knew everything? Why?"

"Well of course we had to watch you. What if you learned who you were and needed an explanation? What if you discovered who your real parents had been? We already knew how you would react, we couldn't just let you live as a Muggle without our protection," he told me trying to make it sound reasonable, like spying on someone was okay.

"But, did you ever plan on telling me?" I asked my voice trying to get the words out without me crying.

"Er, no, we knew you would over react," he said reasonably.

I had no idea how to reply to that. I couldn't think of the right words to say how I was feeling. But then I didn't have to.

"And that gives you a reason to spy on someone?" attacked Harry, his voice was as cold as ice. "And not even tell her? How could you?"

I suddenly filled with glee. It might seem surprising that I could feel happy at time like this, but how could I not? Someone I thought hated me was standing up for me against the Minister of Magic. It was the weirdest, nicest thing anyone had ever done for me. it made me so confused, though.

"Harry, how little you understand. Do you not realize who her parents are?" he said to an angry Harry Potter. He lowered his voice, so it was hard to make out what he was saying. "Do you know how powerful she is, even without a wand? She could perform magic when she was three. Remember Miss Cullen when you didn't want to eat your broccoli and then it was gone? You hadn't touched it, and yet it went away? Or when you were seven and your mom bought you a hideous yellow dress, and somehow it grew fifty times bigger? Or even last year when you got so mad at you mum that she disappeared for a month?"

"STOP!" I yelled through my tears. I hadn't meant to do any of those things. And now I knew what truly happened. "You have no idea what you are talking about!" I was shaking all over; my hands were trembling uncontrollably. Hermione put her arm around me, but I quickly moved it off my shoulder. I didn't need anyone's pity.

"You, Harry Potter, have no idea what she is capable of," Scrimgeour said.

"I think you're wrong about that," he said smugly. "She's learned seven plus years of magic in less than five weeks. She's a more advance witch then Hermione and I combined. I think it's you that has no idea what she is capable of."

If I wasn't so unsure how Harry felt about me I would have gone up and hugged him. Harry and Scrimgeour were glaring absorbedly at each other. Hermione, who I just remembered was in the room, went over to Harry and whispered something in his ear.

"Okay everybody," I began. "Lets get back to the real reason were here in the first place." I took in a deep breath trying to find the right words to say all the many things that needed to be said.

"Like I said, I'm not going to Hogwarts. I do have other things that I need to do instead. And yes, they do have to do with my parents. I'm going to search around for them down. I don't know what I'll do when I find them; all I know is that I need to find them. You can't deny me that privilege, the privilege of seeing my parents." I had said all that I needed to say for now. No words in the English language could describe everything in my mind.

"Fine, but you need someone to come with you. I mean, after we've spent so much time watching over you, do you think we'd just let you out of our sight? No, you must be accompanied by someone…" Scrimgeour said trailing off.

I was in deep thought now. How was I supposed to go with someone? They wouldn't _understand _what all this meant. No one knew how much I needed to discover who I was for myself. It was not something you could do with someone with you, it should be something done on your own. If I ran away would he be able to find me? Maybe I could just jump find my way around… on my own… I guess I do need someone with me, just not anybody. I wouldn't be able to find my way around on my own.

"I won't go with just anyone," I whispered slowly.

"Well, who do _you _suggest then?" Scrimgeour asked.

I knew who I would _want_, but not anyone who would be willing. Everyone I knew would have their own agenda, that I wasn't apart of. I just shrugged my shoulders looking down. It was hard enough being alone, but when you realized that didn't even have a family to count on, it was so hard that you could barely breathe.

I wished that someone would come to mind. Someone _needed_ to come to mind or I would be stuck in this room forever, hoping for someone to save me from being so alone. I looked over at Hermione who seemed to be in profound thought, too. Then I looked at Harry. He was reading that journal again. His features were bunched up as if he was in endless thought.

The whole room was silent. You couldn't even hear anyone breathing. I felt like giving up. I mean, why bother searching for someone who's not there, nor will ever be there.

"Minister," I said, my voice weak from so much crying. "I don't know anyone… I'll just go home now…" I started to get up off from the ground. Then Harry's voice boomed through the room, and I fell down from shock.

"Minister, I'll be going with her."


	7. Mr Curiosity

Chapter 7: Mr. Curiosity

I turned around to see Harry standing straight with his fists clinched. He was looking at Scrimgeour with so much intensity in his eyes. I looked over at Hermione who was staring at Harry with uttermost disbelieve. I don't think that anyone in the room was expecting anything like this.

"Are you sure Harry?" Scrimgeour said looking at him straight in the eyes.

Harry gave a weak nod and then Apparated out of there. I looked over at Hermione, her face smiling as if she just won the lottery. She came over to me and took my hand so we could Apparate.

"We'll be keeping tabs on you," Scrimgeour said, frowning.

I nodded slowly, gripping my hand even tighter onto Hermione's hand. Hermione tensed up then slowly loosened down. I felt a familiar sensation run through my body, of being pulled into a different world.

Moments later we were standing in a very familiar room, the Weasley kitchen. I fixed my brown hair back into place. I took a couple of deep breaths, trying to recover from the annoyance of Apparating.

"Well," I began not exactly sure what I was going to say. "That sure was … out of the ordinary."

Hermione laughed and smiled her biggest smile. I couldn't help but smile back. Hermione was some who could play with your emotions, but in a good way. I mean, say you were sad; she could make you happy in a second. I'm sure she could play with guys' emotions, seeing how pretty she was. Ron informed me, the other day, which she wasn't always as gorgeous as she was now. She used to have huge teeth and even frizzier hair. She had grown in many ways over the summer, he told me.

"Parker," Hermione said turned towards me. "Do you want to Diagon Ally today with me? I have some thing I need to get."

"Sure," I said joyously. I turned to walk back up to mine and Ginny's room. Ginny… I hadn't thought about her. I hope she's not still mad at me. I can perfectly understand why she would be, but she's always seemed so forgiving.

I entered the room to see Ginny sitting and crying. Her red hair was in front of her eyes and her hands were on her face.

"Ginny," I whispered softly.

"Go away," she yelled at me, waving her arm in the air.

Instead of going away I sat down across from her on my bed. She didn't say anything so I thought that maybe, just maybe, she didn't actually want me to leave. I tried to find the right words to say, but none seemed good enough.

"Ginny, just please talk to me," I pleaded taking in a big breath. "I know you are mad and sad and probably hate me, but please just say something, anything."

Ginny looked up her eyes gleaming from crying. She moved her hair out of her face and looked at me. I felt like she could she right through me. It was almost as if her was reading my mind and knew what an act I was putting on.

"Fine," she told me raging with hate. "You were right, I **am** mad, I **am** sad, and I **hate** you. First you go and try to steal away the one good thing in my life, Harry. Then I find out that you've been lying to me ever since I met you. How do you think that makes me feel?"

She stopped. Her hands were clenched and her face was filled with rage. She looked like she was lost for words, as if her rage had caused her to forget how to speak. Then slowly her face changed, she was now smiling in such a way that it seemed that she knew something I didn't, which I was sure she did.

"What?" I asked a little scared that she could read my mind.

"So you do like Harry," she said. I was sure she had just read my mind.

"No," I lied. "I couldn't like Harry, and even if I did it wouldn't matter he hates me. Why, why do you think that, though?"

"I have my ways," she said her eyes twinkling.

"Okay, well Ginny, I just want you to know I'm not trying to steal Harry from you," I told her sincerely. "But I got to go. Hermione and I are going to Diagon Ally; do you want to come with?"

"No," she said flatly. "I need to talk to Harry. Do you happen to know where he is?"

"No idea, I haven't seen him since this morning."

Ginny nodded and I got up to change. I was happy that she was no longer crying. I looked through some clothes that my parents had sent me. I put on a simple pair of dark jeans and one of my favorite shirts that my best friend made. It had a black rose on it blood spurting from the center. It had petals all over the bottom and it says he loves me not…

I had always loved that shirt, like I said my friend made it, designed it and everything. I put my clothes on and looked at myself in the mirror. I had never really realized that I wasn't half-bad looking. My hair had grown a little since I had arrived here and was now about three inches past my shoulders. My eyes seemed a lot greener than usual and I'd gotten curvier since last year. I had grown about an inch and now stood at 5'7.

I put on some mascara and gloss; I never really bothered with make-up. Now that I was ready I walked out into the hall and went looking for Hermione. She was in the bathroom putting on some light make-up. She smiled as I walked in and sat down on the counter.

"Are you ready?" I asked stealing some of her eye shadow and putting it on.

"Almost. Do you want to go and get Ron, he wanted to come?"

"Yeah," I said jumping off the counter.

I went up to Ron's room and saw him polishing his broom. He looked up smiled at me. His hair was in front of his eyes. He was wearing an orange shirt that was just a tad lighter than his hair. He stood up and walked towards me.

"Ready?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Tell me why again are we are we going to Diagon Ally?" he said looking a smidge confused.

"I don't even know," I said walking into the hall.

"Okay," he said looking around the room.

Hermione was ready to go by the time we reached the bathroom. I took Hermione's hand and felt a pulling sensation for the second time today. I fell onto the ground in front of Flourish and Blots. I stood up and dusted the dirt of my already dirty jeans.

Ron and Hermione were up on their feet and holding hands. I resisted the urge to just burst out and laugh at them. They looked so cute together. Hermione was looking straight forward, her hair up in a bun and her mouth turned into a nervous smile. Ron on the other hand was looking down, his red hair covering any traces of his face. His smile was light, but very delightful.

"So, why are we here? I just can't seem to remember," I said. "Oh yeah, you never told us, that's why I don't remember." I laughed at Hermione, who just smiled simply back.

"Well," she began. "I'm not really sure…" she cut off not knowing what to say. "Harry needed me to pick up something. I didn't want to come alone; I thought it might be good to see Diagon Ally before…"

We nodded. I guessed that no one really liked going into detail about what they had planed for after the summer. Truthfully, I didn't know anything other than that I would be joining them on their on excursion.

It had gotten really quiet. We had stopped walking and were now standing in front of Fortesuce's Ice Cream Parlor. It was a simple shop, yet very home-like.

"Hermione, Ron, why don't we first just enjoy some fabulous ice-cream?" I said, framing the shop with my arms.

"Yeah, I guess we could do that!" Hermione was cheerfully.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Ron said finally looking up.

We walked inside. It was a lot bigger than it looked. The walls were a light purple with ice-cream cones painted on the walls. The rest looked like your standard ice-cream shop. It had a counter for ice-cream and such. It had mini tables and stools both inside and out. Overall, it was a very nice place.

"Parker," Hermione and Ron yelled, stopping me from staring so intently round the room.

"Oh sorry," I said, turning around to face them.

"What do you want?" Ron asked, and then went on to ordering his.

"It doesn't matter. Unless they have coffee flavored, then I'll have that," I yelled over the noise of the parlor. He nodded and I sat down at one of the tables.

Slowly they got out of the huge line and joined me at the table. I looked down to see a coffee ice-cream cone dipped in chocolate. It looked very appetizing. No one said anything; we all just sat and ate our ice-cream.

"So, what book is it that we need to pick up?" I asked breaking the silence.

Hermione looked up at Ron as if she needed some reassuring. Then she said, "It's a book about Voldermort from a Death Eaters point of view. Harry and I thought it would be good you know, for some background reading. It's called _Dancing with the Dark Lord._"

"Wait, what? Where are we supposed to get that? It's not like it is sold in Flourish and Blotts, or any place like that," I said raising my voice.

Hermione looked down again and started twiddling with her thumbs. She started to whistle and look around the room, trying to hide her anxiety.

"Hermione!" I persisted on. I was standing, my hands clasped tightly to the table.

"Well," she said her voice cracking. "We, well, you, are gonna buy it at…" She lowered her voice that not ever Ron could here, "Borgin and Brukes."

"ME?!?! Were you planning on ever telling me this," I said in a harsh whisper, just load enough for her and Ron to here.

"Yeah," Ron said for the first time since we got our ice-cream. "I think, at least."

"Well, you were our only option. Harry couldn't go in, I mean, he's Harry Potter. I couldn't because he knows I'm muggleborn. Then as for Ron, they would be able to tell he was a Weasley, and they don't like 'blood traitors,'" she said her brown eyes gazing into mine, as if she knew my deepest thoughts and desires. "But you, on the other hand, you just waltz up, show your Dark Mark and are out in less than five minutes." She gulped in. "We would be waiting for you, just right outside."

I looked away from Hermione. I knew I had no other choice but to go and get the book for them. I didn't like to admit it, but I was always interested in the mysterious, dark, and depressing, evil type things. I just found it so fascinating. And now here I am, getting ready to fight something that I have always dreamed of being a part of. Yet, for some reason, I was glad to throw my dreams away for this, away for Harry…

"Okay," I said looking over at Ron instead of Hermione. "Can we just go now? I don't feel like eating anymore."

Hermione nodded and I threw away my ice-cream. A perfectly good ice-cream cone gone to waste over some stupid book, it was very depressing. We walked outside and down the street. We made the turn into Knockturn Ally and put our cloaks up, so no one would guess two thirds of the fantastic trio and a Death Eater were here.

It was deserted outside except for a few people rushing around at a fast pace. Inside the shops, however, was a different story. People were cramped inside, not wanting to be caught _walking _around Knockturn Ally. They looked at us as we rushed to Borgin and Brukes, which just happened to be one of the farthest located stores.

The store looked run down and… _trashy. _Like Hermione said, Ron and she waited outside while I went in. A bell clinked as I walked in. No one was in sight, so I looked around. There were some of the most unusual things, most words couldn't even explain.

I was examining a glass eye when an oily voice said, "What can I help you with, Miss?"

I turned around to see, who I guess to be, Mr. Borgin. He wasn't the tallest or the nicest looking man I have ever seen. His hair was black and greasy and his teeth were beyond repair, even by the world's best dentist.

"I need a book," I said, trying to sound confident. "It's called _Dancing with the Dark Lord._ Do you happen to have to have it?"

He looked up, alarmed by my question. He seemed to be in deep thought, not really knowing how to reply to a seventeen year old looking for a Death Eater book.

"I'm sorry," he said trying to sound polite. "But, that book is only for… _certain_ types of people."

"What type of people? This type, maybe?" I said, showing him my Dark Mark.

All color had drained from his face. He looked up at me in amazement. He gulped and smiled at me.

"Why, yes of course. Let me get that for you," he said, rushing into the back.

I continued looking around, enjoying the beautiful dark items. Borgin was back after a few moments. He handed me the book. The cover was hilarious. It was a picture of two people waltzing. I tried not to crack up.

I heard the same bell that I did when I entered. I looked at the door to see a man with platinum blond hair and gray cold eyes. His eyes locked on mine and I was instantly lost in them. I couldn't remove my eyes from his, because if I did the world would end, and I didn't want that to happen.

"Mister Malfoy," Borgin said, causing my eyes to be removed from the mysteriously hot man. "What can I help you with?"

"I have to pick up my fathers order," the man said. His voice was almost as gorgeous as him. "He should have sent an owl this morning. Did he not?"

"Oh yes he did," Borgin said rushing through a big pile of paper. "Here it is! I'll get your things in a moment let me just ring her up." Bogin turned around to me and said, "That'll be six sickles."

"Mhmm," I said, handing him the money. I tuned to towards the door, but only was able to take two steps before I was stopped.

"Hey, what's you're name?" the man asked me, his eyes glistening.

"That depends," I said in a flirtatious voice.

"On what?" he said, flirting back.

"On whom you are."

"I'm Draco Malfoy!"

Draco Malfoy, I had heard that name before. On yeah, he was a Death Eater. I could use that to my advantage; I could let him know I'm a Lestrange. He's bound to tell someone, and they'll come skipping off to find me. It would help me find my parents so much faster.

"I'm Parker, Parker Lestrange."

I rushed out the door leaving Draco behind confused. Hermione and Ron were talking and laughing when I got outside.

"Draco was in there. Let's go right now!" I yelled.

Hermione took my hand and we were gone. The last thing I saw was Draco's hair gleaming in the light.

**A/N: Title from Jason Mraz's CD Mr. A-Z **


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